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Sunday, 31 July 2011

RANKING THE TOP 100 PLAYERS IN NBA HISTORY

I am fascinated by articles that attempt to rank the best players in NBA (and ABA) history. Some authors are too easily swayed by eye-catching statistics. Other authors give too much credit to players who won championships (perhaps riding the coattails of their superstar teammates). Meanwhile, some authors abandon all obvious indicators and simply go with their heart. In my opinion, all three measures are valid and should be combined together.

Indeed, that is exactly what I have attempted to do here. I have combined the rankings from 18 different publications (including – but not limited to – Wayne Patterson's 'Basketball's 100 Greatest Players', Bill Simmons’ ‘Book of Basketball’, Kenneth Shouler's 'The Expert's Picks', Slam magazine’s ‘Top 500’, Elliot Kalb’s ‘Who’s Better Who’s Best in Basketball?’ and Sport magazine’s 50th anniversary rankings) to create a master list.

Some of the rankings were written a few years ago and, as a result, active players were ranked too low. To accommodate for this, I have adjusted the rankings of active players accordingly (by simply weighting them more towards the most recent rankings).

I have included the major awards won by each player, their career statistics along with revealing quotes (admittedly with a generous dose of hyperbole) from players and well-respected basketball authors.

The results are fascinating and, in my opinion, the most accurate rankings I have seen. Let me know what you think.

Numbers: 15.1ppg, 22.5rpg, 4.3apg, .440 FG% (1956-1969)Words: “Each year the Finals MVP is given to an exceptional, extraordinary player based on his performance on the grandest stage in all of basketball: the Finals. Who better to name this prestigious award for than one of the greatest players of all time and the ultimate champion?” (David Stern).

Numbers: 24.6ppg, 11.2rpg, 3.6apg, .559 FG% (1969-1989)Words: “He developed the skyhook after dunking was banned in college to neutralize him. Instead, the ban helped lead to the perfection of the greatest shot the game has ever seen” (Peter Vecsey).

Numbers: 19.5ppg, 7.2rpg, 11.2apg, 1.9spg (1979-1991; 1996)Words: “There have been times when he has thrown passes and I wasn’t sure where he was going. Then one of our guys catches the ball and scores and I run back up the floor convinced that he must’ve thrown it through somebody” (Michael Cooper).

Numbers: 24.3ppg, 10.0rpg, 6.3apg, 1.7spg (1979-1992)Words: “Larry Bird was the only one that I feared. A lot of black guys always asked me 'Could Larry Bird really play?'. And I said 'Man, Larry Bird, he was so good it is frightening'" (Magic Johnson)

Numbers: 24.7ppg, 11.2rpg, 2.6apg, .582 FG% (1992-2011)Words: “All the greats are blessed with something… and Shaq – along with his criminally underrated athleticism, passing ability and court vision – has mass. Hate if you want, but the Daddy has taken utmost advantage of his gift, and the results are undeniable” (Ryan Jones).

Numbers: 25.7ppg, 7.5rpg, 9.5apg, .838 FT% (1960-1974)Words: “Oscar was the best player I ever played against. The guy did not have a weakness. He was such a powerful player and had such great control that he could move whoever was guarding him all over the floor. There's nothing Oscar Robertson couldn't do” (John Havlicek).

Numbers: 20.2ppg, 11.2rpg, 3.1apg, 2.2bpg (1997-)Words: “He excelled as one of the few big guys polished enough to punish players down low and talented enough to guard quicker players on the other end. He made everyone else better and came through when it mattered” (Bill Simmons).

Numbers: 27.0ppg, 5.8rpg, 6.7apg, .814 FT% (1960-1974)Words: “Jerry, I once wrote that success is a journey, and that the greatest honour a man can have is the respect and friendship of his peers. You have that more than any man I know. Jerry, you are, in every sense of the world, truly a champion” (Bill Russell).

12 – Elgin Baylor (SF, 6'5", 225 lb)

Awards: 10 x All-NBA 1st Team, 11 x All-Star, Rookie of the Year

Numbers: 27.4ppg, 13.5rpg, 4.3apg, .431 FG% (1958-1971)Words: “I know this sounds weird, but I thought you played Elgin great today” (Bob Cousy to defensive specialist Tom Sanders after Elgin Baylor scored 63 points against the Celtics in a playoff game).

Numbers: 21.8ppg, 11.1rpg, 2.5apg, 3.1bpg (1984-2002)Words: “I really felt like I could keep him under control, play well and defend him. I was in my prime defensively. But I didn’t stop him very well… he just controlled the series” (David Robinson).

Numbers: 26.4ppg, 16.2rpg, 3.0apg, .436 FG% (1954-1965)Words: “Bob made 'second effort' a part of the sports vocabulary. He kept coming at you more than any man in the game. He was always battling for position, fighting you off the boards” (Bill Russell).

Numbers: 24.2ppg, 8.5rpg, 4.2apg, 2.0spg (1971-1987)Words: “If you went to watch Julius Erving play every single night – you would learn something new that you hadn’t seen before. You can’t say that about too many players” (Phil Jasner).

Numbers: 20.8ppg, 6.3rpg, 4.8apg, .815 FT% (1962-1978)Words: “I would take John Havlicek [as the greatest forward ever]. He was fluid, he never tired and he came at you consistently. Zoom, zoom, zoom. It was a relentless assault on you” (Elvin Hayes).

Numbers: 22.6ppg, 8.2rpg, 2.6apg, .877 FT% (1998-)Words: “We'll remember him as one of the 20 best basketball players of all time, the best European player ever, one of the best shooters ever, someone who came through when it mattered” (Bill Simmons).

Numbers: 25.0ppg, 10.1rpg, 3.6apg, .516 FG% (1985-2004)Words: “Championships and all those things aside, he was a championship guy. A lot of guys won championships. But not many put as much work into it as he did” (Jerry Sloan).

20 – Charles Barkley (PF, 6'6", 252 lb)

Awards: 1 x Regular Season MVP, 5 x All-NBA 1st Team, 11 x All-Star

Numbers: 22.1ppg, 11.7rpg, 3.9apg, .541 FG% (1984-2000)Words: “I am not paid to be a role model. I am paid to wreak havoc on the basketball court” (Charles Barkley).

Numbers: 24.8ppg, 6.7rpg, 4.9apg, .893 FT% (1965-1980)Words: “Rick was sensational. He was one of the smartest players of all time. He was a terrific passer. There have been a lot of great players, but you can’t forget about Barry” (Marv Albert).

Numbers: 27.6ppg, 7.3rpg, 6.9apg, .490 FG% (2003-)Words: “I may go as far as to say LeBron James may be the greatest player to ever play the game because he is so potent offensively that not only can he score at will but he keeps everybody involved” (Scottie Pippen).

Numbers: 13.1ppg, 2.7rpg, 10.5apg, 2.2spg (1984-2003)Words: “I hope and I pray people realize a couple of things. There absolutely, positively, will never ever be another John Stockton – ever” (Karl Malone).

Numbers: 21.1ppg, 10.6rpg, 2.5apg, 3.0bpg (1989-2003)Words: “If it’s possible to have achieved as much as David has – and still not get the credit – then Robinson isn’t nearly as appreciated as he should be. His greatness transcends the court” (PJ Carlesimo).

Numbers: 24.8ppg, 5.1rpg, 6.1apg, 1.8spg (2003-)Words: “He scores and creates for others; he’s an excellent defender; he rises to the occasion when it matters; and, most important, he straddles the line between ‘making everyone else better’ and ‘it’s time for me to take over’ as well as anyone” (Bill Simmons).

Numbers: 16.1ppg, 6.4rpg, 5.2apg, 2.0spg (1987-2004)Words: “When we went into battle, I knew I had someone to watch my back. I love him like a brother. He pushed me to be the best basketball player every day in practice. And I pushed him to be the best Scottie Pippen he could be” (Michael Jordan).

31 – George Mikan (C, 6'10", 245 lb)

Awards: 5 x NBA champion, 6 x All-NBA 1st Team, 4 x All-Star

Numbers: 23.1ppg, 9.5rpg, 2.8apg, .404 FG% (1946-1956)Words: “Is it fair to ‘punish’ Mikan because the game wasn’t as popular when he played? In its own way, I feel that dominating the league in the 1950s was as much of an accomplishment as dominating it in the 1990s” (Elliot Kalb).

Numbers: 18.8ppg, 12.9rpg, 1.8apg, .476 FG% (1964-1974)Words: “Willis Reed had the heart of a champion. [He] was unreal. He lit a fire in every player... he exemplified the word 'captain'” (Elvin Hayes).

Numbers: 17.9ppg, 7.3rpg, 1.7apg, .554 FG% (1980-1993)Words: “Kevin McHale became the most difficult low-post player to defend in the history of the league. He was totally unstoppable because of his quickness, diversity of moves, and the long arms that gave him an angle to release the ball over a taller man or a more explosive jumper” (Hubie Brown).

Numbers: 17.6ppg, 13.6rpg, 3.8apg, .460 FG% (1970-1983)Words: “I thought he was a wild man. I'd never seen anybody with that much talent play that aggressively. Dave just wanted to win. And he played so hard that he wouldn't accept any less from anybody around him” (Paul Silas).

Numbers: 12.6ppg, 6.3rpg, 8.7apg, 1.9spg (1994-)Words: “He’s like the quiet assassin. The only thing that separates him from Magic Johnson is five inches. He has the heart and desire. No one else can win games without scoring like Kidd can” (Byron Scott).

Numbers: 26.7ppg, 3.7rpg, 6.2apg, 2.2spg (1996-2010)Words: “He had a knack for going 9-for-24 but somehow making the two biggest shots of the game. And he played with an eff-you intensity only KG and Kobe matched (although MJ remains the king in this category)” (Bill Simmons).

38 – George Gervin (SG, 6'7", 180 lb)

Awards: 5 x All-NBA 1st Team, 9 x All-Star (+3 x ABA)

Numbers: 26.2ppg, 4.6rpg, 2.8apg, .511 FG% (1972-1986)Words: “Nobody in history scored points easier than Gervin. He would light you up and you didn’t even know that match was lit. He had the efficiency and ability to be unstoppable” (Steve Jones).

Numbers: 21.0ppg, 9.9rpg, 1.9apg, 2.4bpg (1985-2002)Words: “I think people appreciate Patrick now. It’s funny. When we had him, people were saying one thing. Now they’re saying another thing. Sometimes you don’t appreciate things until they’re gone. I think that’s definitely the case with Patrick and the fans of New York” (Allan Houston).

Numbers: 16.3ppg, 3.9apg, 6.7apg, 1.8spg (1990-2007)Words: “Payton is very underrated. Make no mistake about it, he’s one of the best. You can look at his body of work and it compares to… most of the other great point guards” (Isiah Thomas).

Numbers: 20.4ppg, 6.1rpg, 5.6apg, 2.0spg (1983-1998)Words: “During the most competitive stretch in league history (1990-93), Portland made the Finals twice with Drexler as its lone blue-chipper” (Bill Simmons).

43 – Steve Nash (PG, 6'3", 178 lb)

Awards: 2 x Regular Season MVP, 3 x All-NBA 1st Team, 8 x All-Star

Numbers: 14.4ppg, 3.0rpg, 8.5apg, .904 FT% (1996-)Words: “The two MVPs he got, he deserved. Part of the reason that he’s so good and so effective is that the guys like playing with him. He creates an atmosphere where they win games” (Bill Russell).

44 – Tiny Archibald (PG, 6'1", 150 lb)

Awards: 1 x NBA champion, 3 x All-NBA 1st Team, 6 x All-Star

Numbers: 18.8ppg, 2.3rpg, 7.4apg, .810 FT% (1970-1984)Words: “Tiny had it all: instinct, vision, and most importantly attitude - the unselfishness to give up the ball. Nobody moved a team like Tiny” (Bob Cousy).

45 – Dominique Wilkins (SF, 6'8", 230 lb)

Awards: 1 x All-NBA 1st Team, 4 x All-NBA 2nd Team, 9 x All-Star

Numbers: 24.9ppg, 6.7rpg, 2.5apg, .461 FG% (1982-1997)Words: “He’s probably the most underrated player of our generation. He carried the Hawks. When you went to Atlanta, you had to bring it… because of him” (Charles Barkley).

Numbers: 10.8ppg, 14.0rpg, 3.9apg, .509 FG% (1968-1981)Words: “Unseld was the consummate team basketball player; his only objective was to win. Statistics were never important to him. You can’t begin to imagine what he did to make his teammates better – set picks, made outlet passes, guarded the bigger center” (Mitch Kupchak).

Numbers: 18.8ppg, 3.0rpg, 3.9apg, .807 FT% (1967-1980)Words: “Black Jesus. That’s how sick he was. People in Philly (his hometown) and down in Carolina (where he dropped 42 points per game as a senior at Winston-Salem State) were so moved by the way he played, they compared it to a religious experience” (Scoop Jackson).

48 – Sam Jones (SG, 6'4", 198 lb)

Awards: 10 x NBA champion, 2 x All-NBA 2nd Team, 5 x All-Star

Numbers: 17.7ppg, 4.9rpg, 2.5apg, .803 FT% (1957-1969)Words: “He was a great shooter, a great defensive player and he had great speed. There wasn't anything Sam Jones couldn't do. If he had played with a team other than the Celtics, he'd be held in the same esteem as Jerry West or Oscar Robertson” (John Havlicek).

Numbers: 17.6ppg, 5.1rpg, 3.0apg, .521 FG% (1982-1994)Words: “I don't think there has been or will be a better small forward than James, and don't think people appreciated that. When he was in his prime, I can guarantee you, there wasn't anybody who could touch him” (Pat Riley).

50 – Nate Thurmond (C, 6'11", 225 lb)

Awards: 7 x All-Star, 2 x All-Defensive 1st Team

Numbers: 15.0ppg, 15.0rpg, 2.7apg, .421 FG% (1963-1977)Words: “One of the greatest shot blockers of all time. He totally intimidated Pettit by playing 4 feet off him but still being quick enough to block his shot. Nobody wanted to be guarded by this Rolls Royce of centers” (Peter Vecsey).

Numbers: 20.8ppg, 10.1rpg, 4.0apg, .446 FG% (1965-1976)Words: “You are talking about a freak of nature. He was a 6-foot-7 guy who could jump out of the gym. He was a great scorer. He would go inside and mix it up with anybody” (Steve Jones).

52 – Pete Maravich (G, 6'5", 197 lb)

Awards: 2 x All-NBA 1st Team, 2 x All-NBA 2nd Team, 5 x All-Star

Numbers: 24.2ppg, 4.2rpg, 5.4apg, .820 FT% (1970-1980)Words: “The legendary following that Pete Maravich has is the truest testament to how great he was” (Bill Walton).

Numbers: 17.0ppg, 15.6rpg, 3.3apg, .499 FG% (1962-1974)Words: “He had championships on every possible level: high school, college, the Olympics and the NBA. And that’s even more impressive than memorizing every play run by every team in the League, for which he was famous” (Alan Paul).

Numbers: 22.1ppg, 9.4rpg, 2.3apg, .503 FG% (1972-1986)Words: “He was impossible to guard. He'd blow by a center or a big forward, and if they put a little guy on him, he'd take him down low and post up all night. He was a scoring machine” (Dr. Jack Ramsay).

Numbers: 14.1ppg, 3.9rpg, 5.0apg, 1.3spg (1976-1990)Words: “He was the original Scottie Pippen, the first Joe Dumars, the second KC Jones. No guard in the NBA has played D the way DJ play D” (Scoop Jackson).

58 – Hal Greer (SG, 6'2", 175 lb)

Awards: 1 x NBA champion, 7 x All-NBA 2nd Team, 10 x All-Star

Numbers: 19.2ppg, 5.0rpg, 4.0apg, .801 FT% (1958-1973)Words: “Hal was tremendously quick and he was the greatest midrange jump shooter in the history of the game. When things broke down, he always found a way to score” (Dolph Schayes)

Numbers: 7.3ppg, 13.1rpg, 1.8apg, .521 FG% (1986-2000)Words: “The man was a physical freak. We’ll see another fifty Horace Grants before we see another Dennis Rodman. And thank God. I think one was enough” (Bill Simmons).

Numbers: 14.5ppg, 9.1rpg, 1.4apg, .537 FG% (1976-1997)Words: “He had tremendous touch around the rim, part of why he was able to hang around long enough to win four rings and play in three decades” (Slam).

62 – Bernard King (SF, 6'7", 205 lb)

Awards: 2 x All-NBA 1st Team, 1 x All-NBA 2nd Team, 4 x All-Star

Numbers: 22.5ppg, 5.8rpg, 3.3apg, .518 FG% (1977-1991; 1993)Words: “If you were a kid in the early eighties, you had a Nerf hoop in your room, you loved basketball and you didn’t pretend to be Bernard on those running two-handed slams… well, I say you’re lying” (Bill Simmons).

63 – Alex English (SF, 6'7", 190 lb)

Awards: 3 x All-NBA 2nd Team, 8 x All-Star

Numbers: 21.5ppg, 5.5rpg, 3.6apg, .507 FG% (1976-1991)Words: “The most deceptive player that I ever played against. He was so smooth on the court that you would never realize how many damn points he was scoring” (Dan Issel).

64 – Paul Arizin (G/F, 6'4", 190 lb)

Awards: 1 x NBA champion, 3 x All-NBA 1st Team, 10 x All-Star

Numbers: 22.8ppg, 8.6rpg, 2.3apg, .810 FT% (1950-1962)Words: “One of the toughest guys I had to play against was Paul Arizin. He was an amazing shooter... I probably admired him the early days as much as anybody... His jump shot was perfect. There was no stopping it” (Dolph Schayes).

Numbers: 17.8ppg, 3.9rpg, 3.0apg, .883 FT% (1950-1961)Words: “Sharman was just an incredible shooter with great concentration, great practice habits. He was a very good defensive player, and people didn't give him credit for that. He was a tough player, who didn't lose many fights" (Ed Macauley).

Numbers: 20.4ppg, 7.9rpg, 2.5apg, .506 FG% (1970-1985)Words: “Impeccable long-distance shooting (and drive if you played up on him) created insufferable mismatches for centers. Savvy, size and strength made it impossible for power forwards to negotiate with him inside” (Peter Vecsey).

Numbers: 20.3ppg, 3.8rpg, 6.0apg, .441 FG% (1966-1978)Words: “He was awesome and he had such great leadership that he could draw the team together with his scoring or his passing. I remember him gliding to the hoop and slamming over Kareem [or] slamming it over Nate Thurmond” (Bob Lanier).

Numbers: 18.2ppg, 13.0rpg, 1.5apg, 2.2bpg (2004-)Words: “That kid is a freak of nature, man. I don’t know what they put in the milk these days for these young kids, but that kid is a freak of nature. I was nowhere near that physically talented. I wasn’t that gifted, as far as body and physical presence” (Kevin Garnett).

Numbers: 18.8ppg, 12.rpg, 2.3apg, 2.4bpg (1971-1988)Words: “He was almost a mythic figure, thanks to his dominating play in college and five mammoth seasons with the Kentucky Colonels of the ABA” (Michael Bradley).

Numbers: 21.8ppg, 6.0rpg, 3.9apg, 1.4spg (1998-)Words: “[Pierce] repeatedly raised his level of play in big games… [he]finished the Double Zeros as the best small forward not named LeBron… [he was]a memorably tough competitor who didn’t miss a single 2000 preseason game after getting nearly stabbed to death two weeks earlier” (Bill Simmons).

74 – Bob Lanier (C, 6'11", 250 lb)

Awards: 8 x All-Star

Numbers: 20.1ppg, 10.1rpg, 3.1apg, .514 FG% (1970-1984)Words: “Bob was big, burly and quick. Once he got you on his hip, he'd throw up that hook shot and you'd be helpless. He also had nice ball fakes and a face-up jumper that was almost impossible to stop” (Bob McAdoo).

75 – Tracy McGrady

(SF, 6'8", 235 lb)

Awards: 2 x All-NBA 1st Team, 3 x All-NBA 2nd Team, 7 x All-Star

Numbers: 19.6ppg, 5.6rpg, 4.4apg, 1.2spg (1997-2012)Words: “People talk about Kobe, Iverson, and the other guys, but to me, Tracy is the best player in the league behind Shaq. More than anyone else, he does it all” (Sam Cassell).

76 – Walt Bellamy (C, 6'11", 225 lb)

Awards: 4 x All-Star, Rookie of the Year, Rookie of the Year

Numbers: 20.1ppg, 13.7rpg, 2.4apg, .516 FG% (1961-1974)Words: “Walt Bellamy was one of the most consistent scorers and rebounders the game has ever seen. The burly pivot man snatched 1,000 rebounds a staggering nine times in his career” (Ken Shouler).

77 – Chris Mullin (SF, 6'7", 215 lb)

Awards: 1 x All-NBA 1st Team, 2 x All-NBA 2nd Team, 5 x All-Star

Numbers: 18.2ppg, 4.1rpg, 3.5apg, .865 FT% (1985-2001)Words: “Mully honed his lefty J to the point that you started counting buckets upon his release… As Warrior watchers saw it, he was the West Coast Larry Bird” (Ben Osborne)

Numbers: 16.1ppg, 2.2rpg, 4.5apg, .843 FT% (1985-1999)Words: “Joe D was… capable of sizing up any situation and delivering whatever was needed to win a game, be it a steal, a dish, a board, a lockdown, a drive or a trey. He had no holes in his game” (Slam).

Numbers: 18.6ppg, 8.8rpg, 2.0apg, .790 FT% (1956-1965)Words: “He was probably the best all-around forward other than Pettit and Baylor from ’57 to ’64, someone who defended bigger guys and provided a little muscle during a hockey-like era where everyone threw down” (Bill Simmons).

Numbers: 22.7ppg, 4.1rpg, 3.3apg, .505 FG% (1975-1984)Words: “We’ll remember Thompson as the Intellivision to Jordan’s Playstation 2, an original prototype for every high-flying two-guard who followed. Blessed with a lightning first step, a reliable jump shot and a 44-inch vertical leap” (Bill Simmons).

Numbers: 17.1ppg, 8.5rpg, 1.1apg, 2.8bpgWords: “Before Alonzo Mourning was diagnosed with kidney disease, we viewed him as almost inhuman – in a good way – like some machine-made Hercules. But think about it for a second. If the NBA had a lab where it created paint-banging big men, the prototype might very well be Zo” (Bonsu Thompson).

Numbers: 20.7ppg, 9.8rpg, 4.2apg, .479 FG% (1993-2008)Words: “He liked to control games from different spots on the floor, distributing from the high post before crashing the glass, or using his big, soft hands to throw down monstrous jams” (Slam).

Numbers: 15.6ppg, 4.7rpg, 3.6apg, .502 FG% (1979-1991)Words: “When you play against Moncrief, you're in for a night of all-around basketball. He'll hound you everywhere you go, both ends of the court. You just expect it” (Michael Jordan).

Numbers: 18.6ppg, 4.4rpg, 9.8apg, 2.4spg (2005-)Words: “Sitting there watching Chris really develop into the best point guard in this league, it’s amazing to watch how he’s really risen his game to another level. But that’s what great players do. He’s definitely one of the best in this league right now” (Byron Scott).

Numbers: 11.1ppg, 2.8rpg, 6.7apg, 2.1spg (1978-1993)Words: “The most underrated player of all-time… he had an implausible knack for when to go for the steal and a consecrated gift for running the team” (Peter Vecsey).

Numbers: 17.2ppg, 4.0rpg, 4.9apg, .444 FG% (1969-1981)Words: “He's so beautiful to watch, so graceful, yet a tough competitor. He is the cohesive force, the orchestrator of the Boston offense, as well as the team leader on the floor” (Mendy Rudolph).

95 – Neil Johnston (C, 6'8", 210 lb)

Awards: 1 x NBA champion, 4 x All-NBA 1st Team, 6 x All-Star

Numbers: 19.4ppg, 11.3rpg, 2.5apg, .444 FG% (1951-1959)Words: “Johnston led the NBA in scoring for three consecutive seasons (’53-55) – mostly due to his sweet hook shot – and led in rebounding in ’55 as well” (Slam).

96 – Bailey Howell (SF, 6'7", 210 lb)

Awards: 2 x NBA champion, 1 x All-NBA 2nd Team, 6 x All-Star

Numbers: 18.7ppg, 9.9rpg, 2.0apg, .480 FG% (1959-1971)Words: “The term ‘garbage man’ was used more than once to describe the pesky inside game of Bailey Howell. It was not a pejorative term; in fact, it was paying homage” (Ken Shouler).

Numbers: 20.2ppg, 4.4rpg, 2.7apg, .489 FG% (1966-1979)Words: “Lou Hudson was the leading scorer five years running on those highly competitive Hawks teams that could never capture the national spotlight” (Slam).

Numbers: 16.7ppg, 6.0rpg, 4.2apg, .483 FG% (1994-)Words: “Just like Mike, only better. A combination of Iceman and Big O, Grant Hill has grown into the mantle of the game’s best player as if he was born to fill the role” (Tony Gervino).

Numbers: 21.0ppg, 3.9rpg, 3.5apg, .388 3P% (1988-2002)Words: “Able to drain from range or use his burly 6-5 frame to get to the cup, Rock was a Swiss Army knife in a League where most players were blunt hammers” (Slam).

61 comments:

I disagree with a lot of this. If you were starting a team and could draft any of these players would you really take Russell second? Would you really take Iverson over Patrick Ewing? Reggie Miller should be higher than 60 but I will give you a pass on that since most lists seem to have him between #50 and #65. Grant Hill in his prime was better than about 70 guys on this list but I get that his prime was short lived due to injury so I can't complain too much. Overall it was an enjoyable read though.

If I was an nba gm I would take russell 1st. Youre right about Iverson and hill. I can't have reggie in the top 60 because he passed the 200 3 mark only once (with a shortened line) and averaged a mediocre 18 3 and 3 for his career. He never won a ring, despite playing for one of the best coaches ever in larry brown, played in a diluted league, and was a defensive liability.

I agree with iverson and ewing and hill, but as an nba GM I would take russell 1st. Reggie Miller isn't top 60 because he only passed the 200 3 mark once (with a short 3 pt line) never won a ring despite having one of the best coaches ever in larry brown while playing in a diluted league, only averaged 18 3 and 3 for his career, and was a defensive liability.

If it was based purely on "who would you draft over who?" then it would look completely different. LeBron would be higher for one thing. Meanwhile, a lot of the players from the 1950s wouldn't even crack the top 100. But, if you take everything into consideration (success, statistics, dominance, etc), then I think Russell belongs 2nd on the list. He ranks 2nd, 3rd or 4th on each of the publications' rankings. Players like Shaq and Wilt had much greater deviation. As for Iverson vs Ewing, I tend to agree with you. Iverson's appeal was much greater than Ewing's though, and I think that has to be factored in somehow. Same goes for players like Earl Monroe, Pete Maravich, etc.

You are right, who would you draft is a different argument. Anyway I don't think Iverson's appeal was greater than Ewing's. Patrick Ewing was a massive star in the 1980's which you may have been to young to remember. When Ewing was drafted it was massive. I never make lists of players I didn't see...so my lists are from 1985 on and obviously Reggie Miller is the top player since then.

I'm well aware of Ewing's hype when he entered the league. It was called the Ewing lottery for a reason. And, although he never quite lived up to some of the lofty expectations (Bill Russell II?), he was still a fantastic player on both ends of the court. I would certainly prefer to build a team around Ewing than Iverson. Iverson has his merits, but I won't try to convert you. I spent enough time trying to do that in the early 2000s - I'll never succeed!

Thanks for the kind words. You're right, Pierce certainly wouldn't look out of place 15 spots higher. Mind you, if you look at the players above him - people like Dantley, Bing, Arizin, etc - they all have impressive credentials of their own.

A pretty fantastic job. I think you are still underrating guys from the 50's and before. Mikan and Fulks should be higher, you forgot Bob Davies etc. Overall though, a very solid list. The top 8 is exactly right IMO, the top 25 is pretty much spot on (save for Mikan who I have at #9 all-time) though I have Isiah and his two rings above Barkley and Malone.

Thanks Joe, I appreciate the comments. You're absolutely right, a lot of people underrate Mikan, Fulks, etc, which is why they are relatively low in these rankings. Remember, this list is a combination of various publications' rankings. Mikan could only beat those players and teams put in front of him at the time, and he did just that. I agree about Isiah - he is one of my all-time favourite players and often gets overlooked in discussions about the best players ever. At a later date, I might adjust the rankings to reflect how I think they ought to be.

It's funny you should say that, because the feedback I've been getting elsewhere is that McGrady is ranked far too high. Personally, I think McGrady was a phenomenal offensive player at his peak and truly entertaining to watch... but he never took his team past the first round of the Playoffs. For that reason, it's nearly impossible to move him any higher than 75th.

As for Alex English, I have a feeling you're unaware how good he was. He averaged 20ppg or more for 10 consecutive seasons compared to TMac's 8 seasons. English averaged 25ppg or more for 8 seasons compared to TMac's 2 seasons. Meanwhile, English scored 25,613 points compared to TMac's 18,108.

Anonymous 1, you said it yourself, English's advantage over McGrady is that he had a long, injury free career. Hence he is ranked above him accordingly. In every other way, they are comparable.

Anonymous 2, not sure if you missed it, but Nash is ranked 43rd on my list (and is one of my all-time favourite players). I'm really glad to hear you like the list, thanks for taking the time to read it.

As a fellow Brit, and basketball fan, I love this post and the effort that must have gone into it.Could you please give a full list of the sources for the megalist? I absolutely understand if you don’t want to but thought it was worth asking. The intro suggests that the list is purely a mathematical feat on your part with no personal intervention except in the weightings given to each list, is that correct?

Moving on to the comments, Alex English certainly has a longevity edge over T-Mac but I wouldn’t say “in every other way, they are comparable”. McGrady once led his team in each of the 5 per game boxscore stats over a season (matched only by Erving (ABA), Cowens, Pippen and Garnett. LeBron came close in 09, leading 4 categories and having superior total blocks to Ben Wallace and Ilagauskas). T-Mac is also one of an elite few players to have posted a season with a PER of above 30. McGrady also had a solid defensive rep until he was forced to shoulder a humongous offensive load on some otherwise dreadful Orlando teams.English was an exceptional player (indeed he scored the most points in the 80’s), but was primarily a scorer in a high paced era, on a high paced team, in which small forwards weren’t generally known for their defensive abilities.Indeed T-Mac is such a hard player to rank precisely because his peak was brief but matched by so few (albeit few recognise how effective he was at his peak because Orlando sans Hill in that era were otherwise terrible).Anyway like I said an amazing list, thank you for the effort put in.

Some of the publications/websites simply listed their top 100 (in no particular order), e.g. Total Basketball. Therefore, I gave those players a 1-100 ranking based on where they ranked in the other 8 publications.

Meanwhile, for active players, I had to weight their rankings according to the most recent publications (Bill Simmons, Slam 500, NBA Legacy, GOAT list).

I chose to include the older publications' rankings (e.g. Slam 2003 and Sport magazine from 1996) because I personally felt that they are just as valid - if not more so - than recent publications, since the older players were fresher in the mind back then. It's shocking, for example, to see how Pippen's legacy has increased since his retirement, whereas players like Dan Issel seem to have plummeted in people's estimations in recent years. The human mind seems to have selective memory.

In conclusion, although my rankings are based on those from 9 different publications, I suppose you could argue that my methodology makes it my own personal list. If someone else compiled this list, they might have weighted it or adjusted it differently to how I did, yielding different results.

I hope that makes sense!

Regarding TMac, I was watching the 2001 All-Star Game yesterday and TMac did an amazing job defending Kobe Bryant. He was certainly a great defender... when he could be bothered. Which says it all really! I'm a huge fan. I just wish he'd played hard ALL the time.

The Biggest problems that I have with your Top 40, which is quite good,are that Julius Erving at #15 is way too high. His ABA stats are meaningless,and in interleague games with the NBA he was routinely destroyed by John Havlicek, despite their 11 year age difference;

I was never a Bob Cousy (#22) fan,

and I think that Willis Reed (#32) is too high,since Reed's career average against Bill Russell was something like 13 ppg.

On the other hand, the ranking favors individuals overplayers that played on Good teams, for the most part.

My favorite Celtic of the championship era was Sam Jones,who took the last shot from 1959 thru 1969, winning 10 championships.Although you have him at #48 All Time, at least you posted John Havlicek's revealing insight.

"48 – Sam Jones (SG, 6'4", 198 lb)Awards: 10 x NBA champion, 3 x All-NBA 2nd Team, 5 x All-StarNumbers: 17.7ppg, 4.9rpg, 2.5apg, .803 FT% (1957-1969)Words: “He was a great shooter, a great defensive player and he had great speed. There wasn't anything Sam Jones couldn't do. If he had played with a team other than the Celtics, he'd be held in the same esteem as Jerry West (#11) or Oscar Robertson (#9)” (John Havlicek)."

Also, I detested BIlly Cunningham (#51), who is the poster boy for reasons why a player from a 9 win team (1973 Sixers) should be not be eligible for consideration for First Team All NBA(somebody has to shoot, even on a crappy team).

Why are Erving's ABA stats meaningless? Even if we ignore them, he still did enough in the NBA to warrant a high ranking.

Cousy's assist numbers would be through the roof if they recorded them in the same way as they do now (back then, if the receiver took even one dribble before scoring, then the passer wouldn't be attributed with the assist). It's also difficult to overlook his 10 All-NBA 1st Team selections.

Most player's scoring took a dip against Bill Russell, so it's harsh to hold that against Willis Reed.

I do agree with you about Cunningham though. I think 51st overall is quite generous.

Good list, but I do think Dirk is about ten spots too high and that Pierce should be hovering around the top 50. Both Pierce and KG were really hurt by mismanaged teams and would have more career accolades if they had better supporting casts or had gotten to play with each other sooner.

KG was out of his prime in 2008 and that was probably the last year of Pierce's prime.

i completely agree with the last comment anyone who is still young and in the league today with no rings cant be over anyone who is current in the league with a ring i makes no sense at all and i would take .. pierce kg and ray ray for that matter all deserve to be higher and tmac should not even be on that list along with a few other guys but i have no problems with the first five

Glad to see some Celtics fans commenting on the rankings! Remember though, these rankings were compiled by using other publications' rankings. I must admit, if they were purely my own work, then Pierce and Allen would both be higher and KG might be moved up a place or two as well.

Good job with the list !I would change some minor things though,Chris Webber in my opinion should go higher, I know he had his shortcomings (mentally he was not the killer Alpha dog type) but man, what a freaking player he was, like Magic from the post. The best passer of all times as a big man (Sabonis also comes to mind- I actually think that the big fellow should have been in your list as well), absolutely amazing hands and touch.Should have accomplished more things I'll give you that, but still, an unique talent, a match-up nightmare, almost impossible to stop, and just a thing of beauty to watch.

Sabonis was a tremendous player... before he joined the NBA. His NBA career was good but short and not legendary enough to deserve a top 100 rating. If this list considered player's non-NBA/ABA careers, then I'd have to include players like Oscar Schmidt too.

If you're a fan of Webber and Sabonis' passing, then you might like my other article about the fanciest passers in NBA history - both players are in my starting five!

I'm assuming you didn't watch him last year, because if you did you must be crazy to leave him off and put someone like Paul on.

D Rose is the youngest MVP in league history that alone makes him one of the GOAT. That aside he has lead his team to a better record and just as far in the playoffs as Paul has ever done. Stop slurping Paul for his high assists

KG should not be ranked higher than David Robinson... Robinson's numbers and accolades are way better despite starting his career later, and messing up his back in 1997 (played with a herniated disc since). In fact, even with Robinson playing the last 7 years of his career with a pretty bad back and taking a strong backseat to Duncan offensively in his last 5, he still has better career averages than KG across the board.

Prior to Duncan's arrival and before his injuries, Robinson would routinely drop triple doubles on Shaquille O'Neal, Ewing, Mourning and Hakeem. People forget how much of a beast he was on both ends of the floor...

Credit Peter Holt and Popovich for changing the culture in San Antonio and building a championship squad that wasn't centered around the all-around brilliance of only one player... People assume that Robinson coat-tailed Duncan to his champoionships but people disregard the fact that his teams were never as balanced as Duncan's championship squads... nor did he have the benefit of Pop's coaching 'til after his injuries...

I haven't forgotten how great the Admiral was... he was truly outstanding. But in the Playoffs? Less so. Hakeem outplayed him and I think that hurt his legacy somewhat. Also, many authors (who's rankings were the basis of this article) bemoaned Robinson's shirking of the big moment. He lacked the killer instinct.

As great as Hakeem was in that series (and he was - to the tune where I also believe he should be rated higher than Shaq)... Several of those games were decided by clutch three pointers from one of the greatest group of three point specialists ever assembled... Robert Horry, Mario Elie, Sam Cassell, Kenny Smith and even Clyde Drexeler. Teams win series... and unfortunately, pre-injury Robinson never had the benefit of being surrounded by that type of cast (instead he had erratic players like Dennis Rodman who decided he would chuck several 3 pointers in the first half of Game 1, because he was trying to prove a point to the coach)... or Avery Johnson, who at that point couldn't make a jumper to save his life... making it far easier to double and triple team The Admiral...

Truth be told Robinson managed to steal Games 3 and 4 at Houston before Rodman's shenanigans came back to bite them again in Game 5... of course the media chooses to selectively forget those details, because David Robinson is the epitome of class and took all the blame upon himself... unfairly tarnishing his own legacy...

None of the great centers of his day have a winning record against a pre-injury Robinson (he beat them all and even drew a 7-7 deadlock with the GOAT in the middle of the Bulls' Dynasty)

Like I said, I've heard every argument to suggest that David was soft or unclutch but all they can really bring to the table is that another great player (Hakeem the Dream) beat Robinson's team in a hotly contested series... that one outlier shouldn't be the end-all/be-all argument... I mean, didn't Hakeem also go on and sweep Shaq's team in the Finals that very year? Why don't people hold that over Shaq's head as much as they do with David? I don't believe even Jordan's Bull's could have prevented the Rockets from taking the title that season... Hakeem was simply not going to be denied...

I wonder if, over the next few years, people will begin to recognise Robinson's talents and rank him higher than he is in my article? I wouldn't be surprised. Remember though, this article is based on other authors' rankings. If they were my own personal rankings, I would have Robinson higher and I agree with all of your points.

We sometimes give too much credit to championships. It's not necessarily Robinson's fault that he didn't win a championship. Put him next to a Kobe or a Pippen and I'm sure he'd have a couple of rings. Then again, Rodman and Sean Elliot were great players themselves, so he did have some help.

Being the FOX Sports Color analyst for Spurs games over the past several seasons even Sean Elliott (two t's) admits Duncan's teams have been far more stacked than Robinson's ever were... I mean, who would one take? Vinny Del Negro or Manu Ginobili? Avery Johnson or Tony Parker? The latter two options could also take over games to ease the burden on Duncan, the way the former options couldn't ever dream of doing...

Even the 3-pt specialists that Pop brought over to effectively play the inside/outside game were far more clutch (Steve Kerr, Mario Elie, Darren Jackson, Stephen Jackson, Manu Ginobili and later Robert Horry) than the old-beyond-their prime players (think Chuck Person) that David had available in that same role... like you said only Sean Elliott seemed to "step up" enough... but even Clyde Drexler wore him out in that '95 series...

As for Rodman, well yeah he was a great rebounder and a pesky defender... but all that goes out the window when he's throwing temper tantrums during the most critical juncture of a season... had he played to his abilities and not left Horry to freely roam the perimeter (while seeking out more rebounds), that '95 series could have turned out differently despite Hakeem's masterful performance... Like I said, stealing two games on the road after dropping the first two at home is not easy to do... and Robinson did all he could to win that series...

But enough about that...

I simply don't see enough of an argument to suggest Garnett was a better player than Robinson... Robinson was the better defender, a more effective player on the offensive end, despite being equally athletic, Robinson was faster and stronger than Garnett... given the numbers Robinson beats him out fair and square... For that matter as much as I like Nowitzki, I don't think he was a better player than Robinson either (the German is ranked too high IMO)... in their prime Robinson would have nulliefied all of Nowitzki's strengths in a way that Nowitzki couldn't have stopped The Admiral...

I agree regarding Robinson. With the addition of him (and to a lesser extent, Elliott) the San Antonio franchise did a complete 180 in the '90s. Outside the '95 playoff series, where Olajuwon was clearly the better player on both ends of the court, Robinson generally proved to be equal in skill level in head-to-head meetings.

I think Robinson should be a lot closer to Olajuwon.

Of course, there can be an argument made about the longevity of Robinsons domination especially in comparison to someone like Shaq. Robinson lost a year due to his naval obligations and suffered chronic back issues which shortened his playing career. That would be the biggest knock against him.

I wouldn't worry about where some of these young players are on the list. in 10 years or more some of these players will move up the list after they prove their merit. i can almost promise you that in 10 years Derrick Rose will be in the top 25.

I think kobe should be higher. I think after this last year Kobe should be regarded as top 5 player of all time just because of his clutch ability late in games and his consistency as regard to All Star games and 1st Team All NBA selections.

Looking forward to seeing updated rankings. Does updated rankings mean new lists (though I'm not aware of any lists created since the original post until NBA List Jam by Pat Williams comes out) or an opinion based adjustment?

Also I'm looking at acquiring the SPORT Magazine containing Pete Vecsey's 50 best players list on eBay, do you think it's worth getting it shipped to the UK? Are the rankings argued/justified or is it just potted biogs?

Vecsey's rankings aren't really argued or justified. However, he writes a paragraph about each player and offers his opinion. It's quite an unusually honest appraisal of each player.

I've bought many publications since I wrote this article. Some of them feature rankings while others simply feature 'top 12 players' for example (and in no particular order). Here are the publications I will use in my updated rankings (which weren't used in my rankings last year):

- The Expert's Picks: Basketball's Best 50 Players in the Last 50 Years (Kenneth A. Shouler)

- 100 Greatest Players of All Time (Sachare)

- Basketball: A History of the Game (Wolff)

- Biographical History of Basketball (Bjarkman)

- Basketball Reference Hall of Fame Probability

- Associated Press Player of the Century

I will also probably factor in my own opinion this time around. I'm considering making it the best 100 players in basketball history, as opposed to just the best NBA players. I think players like Bobby McDermott, Pop Gates and Hank Luisetti deserve a mention.

lol at no Vince Carter on the list.don't kid yourself he's in all time great. I grew up watchin the 90s Bulls so I got some knowledge of what it takes to be an all-time great. Vince is one of the most incredible players I've witnessed play. Probably the most talented, and most exciting player...for that he deserves to be on the list, top 75.. He did a lot for the league and his stats are easily good enough.

pair him with Shaq in his prime and there wouldn't be any questioning. And how can you have Tmac on here but not Vince when Vince has had a better overall career?

pretty good list otherwise I'll say. I think you underrate the wings of the early 2000s era. Tmac, Pierce, Vince, Allen, AI, Kobe all could do things no other player could in the past or present.

Great list, Will. I particularly like how you merged together these divergent lists from other sources in your considerations. While I would not necessarily put every last player in the same place, I think you have credited a solid, respectable, consensus ranking.

Lakers fan by any chance? Goodrich was good... but not worthy of a top 50 place. Meanwhile, much as I like West, it's hard to think of an argument to justify his inclusion in the top 5. Be my guest though - I'd like to hear it.

Larry Bird is my favorite player in NBA. And I am happy to find his rank in top 10 nba players of all timee. Apart from his rank, I would like to tell that he won many awards too in NBA. And one thing special about him is that he is also having a strong charming personality.

I love the quotes about the players that you’ve included in the list. It really made for some good reading and as a big fan of the game the list you’ve come up with is highly appreciated.best basketball players of all time

It seems a lot of one dimensional stat machines were given priority pber one of the most special and revolutionary players ever, and that is manu ginobili, aleays thinking of how to help the team ein whether it made him look good or not.